Get Your Date
by College n Curls
Summary: Hey...why is everyone so screamy lately?
1. Chapter 1

**CCNote:** **Alrighty then! This is a request ficlet from Katarina-hime. It's a sequel to Get Your Kid so go read and review that first before diving into this. ANYWAY! Enjoy and I'll be updating 'Love' later in the week.**

 **Chapter One**

High school, Kiba had decided, was a humongous waste of his time. He would have dropped out a long time ago but his older sister and mother would have castrated him for it. He was partial to his lower organ, he needed it for stuff, so he refrained from checking out of the system. It wasn't all bad though. The cafeteria food was better than anything he could get at home, he got to spend time with his friends, and the girls that attended this school were far and away hotter than others from the surrounding schools.

It was probably because of their family's money that they looked so good.

They all wore the same uniform but the designer handbags, makeup, and parade of chauffers every morning indicated a different level of class among the student populace. Again, he couldn't be bothered to care that much about the wealth of others and what they wore. However, today was an exception.

The brunette stared intently at the scene in the lunchroom. A rather bold underclassman had hired an entire mariachi band to come and serenade a girl for prom. There were balloons and roses and the jealous squeals of other girls. This was not even the most egregious of displays. Earlier that morning someone had hired a plane to write their proposal in the sky and another had filled an entire classroom with balloons and roses. All of this just for one night.

"Will you go to prom with me?" the boy asked. His girlfriend squealed so loud it made Kiba's ears hurt.

 _Prom._

The one night a year that they were 'technically' free to do whatever they wanted. Oh, how the entire school turned on its head in preparation for just a few hours of freedom. Kiba sighed and picked up his carton of chocolate milk from his tray. Absently he tried to get the straw in his mouth but he failed each time, he was too busy musing about the promposal scene.

If he wanted to ask a girl to prom would he have to create a scene? He had no idea how to do that and honestly, he didn't want to. Even _if_ he had an inkling for how to create a spectacle who would he ask?

"Kiba."

All the girls he knew personally were off limits.

"Kiba."

Hinata was like a sister to him and he wouldn't mind going with her. She would be his top choice in this situation but that bastard of a boyfriend she had barely let her out of his sight. Ino was another sisterly option but she was a bit too bossy for his tastes. Plus, any day now Naruto would get it through his head that he liked Ino as more than a friend. There was no way he was inserting himself into that messy business.

"Guys I think he's broken."

He _could_ ask an underclassman girl but that would just look sad.

"Earth to Kiba!" a voice shouted as they waved their hand in front of his face. "Are you fucking broken?"

Kiba blinked and finally looked up to see that the empty lunch table that he had been occupying was now half full. Naruto sat on top of the table, his face just inches away as if that was a good tactic to get his attention. Meanwhile, Shikamaru and Sasuke were moving to sit like responsible human beings in their seats, pointedly ignoring the blonde on the table.

"Get out of my face you weirdo." Kiba groused, pushing Naruto's face away from his own.

"What the hell are you thinking so hard about? You usually don't think like that." Naruto said and Kiba frowned. A comeback was on the tip of his tongue but outside in the hall more jubilant screams cut him off.

"Why is everyone all screamy lately?" the blonde asked.

"Are you serious?" Kiba snapped, roughly placing his milk carton on the table. "Do you really have no idea what's going on right now?

Blue eyes stared back at him, empty and waiting for an answer to be provided for him. Kiba huffed and turned his attention to the other boys at the table that possessed more than half a brain.

"Have you two gotten dates to prom yet?" he asked.

Shikamaru merely shrugged and pushed his tray of fries around while Sasuke didn't even dignify his question with a response. Overconfident bastards. The brunette let out a sigh and crossed his arms over his chest.

"How am I going to ask a girl out with you two wealths of information as friends." He grumbled and Naruto laughed.

"So that's why everyone keeps screaming? Oh man! Asking a girl out is easy Kiba."

"Easy for you to say! You don't care if you look stupid."

"What are you talking about? I _never_ look stupid." Naruto enthused and threw an unwanted arm around his shoulders. "I could get a date in two seconds if I tried. I'd be even faster than Sasuke."

"There is no competition idiot." Sasuke frowned. "I already have a girlfriend."

"Yea but that doesn't mean she'll go to prom with you. You'd be a stick in the mud all night anyway."

"Hn."

"Actually!" Naruto smiled, an idea lighting up his blue eyes. It was an idea that was likely bad and was already starting to give Kiba a headache. "I think I'll ask Hinata to prom myself. She'd have more fun with me anyway since you don't dance."

Yup. This was definitely a stupid idea.

Sasuke didn't appear phased at all by Naruto's challenge but the murderous energy that rolled off of him in waves made everyone uncomfortable. The tense atmosphere didn't last long before the girls came to take up the remaining seats at the table. Ino, Sakura, and Hinata set their trays down in the empty chairs, oblivious to the turmoil they'd walked in on.

"And then I said, those shoes with that dress? You have got to be kidding me!" Ino huffed as she settled in between Naruto and Shikamaru. Sakura rolled her eyes and sat on Kiba's other side.

"How many times are you going to keep telling us this story?"

"Until you understand my outrage forehead!"

"Hey Hinata-" Naruto started but his words ended in a hissed of pain as a swift kick under the table silenced him.

"Hinata." Sasuke said flatly, silencing a continuation of Ino's pointless clothes story or Naruto's attempts to ask Hinata out. "Go with me to prom."

The petite girl in question blushed five shades darker than normal and her eyes widened immensely. Was she going to scream like all of the other girls? Or was she going to cry like that one girl he saw this morning? Kiba leaned forward, completely engrossed in what her reaction would be. However, her answer was different than anything he would have expected.

"I…I'm sorry Sasuke." She said softly as she looked down at the table. "No."

 _ **To be continued….**_


	2. Chapter 2

**CCNote:** **The newest chapter for 'Love' was posted so if you haven't already done so, go check it out. ANYWAY this story is dedicated to Katarina-hime. Please enjoy this newest chapter and don't forget to leave a REVIEW!**

 **Get Your Princess**

If Sasuke was rejected by someone as sweet and kind as Hinata there was no hope for the rest of them.

Naruto frowned as children climbed his arms and legs like a jungle gym. Outwardly he was almost braggadocious with his claims about being good with women. On the inside, however, he knew that his skills were not so great to say the least. The one girl he'd loved since preschool had rejected him for his best friend. He couldn't even be mad about that. You couldn't help who you loved.

When the rumors had started swirling around school that Hinata and Sasuke were dating he'd hoped that would be enough to turn Sakura's attention towards him instead. However, that only seemed to double down her attraction to the Uchiha. Even when they publically became a couple, she wasn't so verbal about her love but anyone could see how she looked at him. Those jade green eyes would never look in his direction like that. He wasn't sad about it. Sure it hurt a little but he'd never been one to mope.

"If you think too hard you'll make your brain hurted!" a little voice squeaked from his leg.

Naruto looked down at the little girl with a head full of curly brown hair. He smiled and picked her up, much to the jealousy of the other kindergartners. Unlike the rest of his friends, after their community service punishment was over he stayed on to volunteer with the children. Well, he and Ino had. He glanced over to the other end of the playroom where Ino was wearing a princess crown and animatedly telling her small group a story. She looked pretty with a crown on, not that she didn't look nice every day. God, even he had to admit he sounded stupid in his own head.

"Why are you staring at princess Ino?" asked a girl tugging on his arm.

"I'm not!"

"Yes you are!"

"No I'm not!"

"Yes you-"

The after school bell rang, cutting off his childish disagreement, and the children scrambled to free him. They were all crowded around the classroom door before it had been opened. A second later, parents poured into the room and the squeals of reunions filled the air.

"You'd think we were holding them captive." Ino mused and Naruto jumped in surprise by how close she was standing next to him. Blue eyes looked at him skeptically but he did his best to play off his embarrassment by pretending to scratch the back of his head.

"Are you okay?"

His acting skills clearly needed some work.

"I'm fine." Naruto insisted and turned to start cleaning up the messy kindergarten classroom. "Why wouldn't I be okay?"

"Oh, I don't know you've just been acting jumpy and distant since lunch."

"No I'm not-" he started but the skeptical look in Ino's eyes reminded him that he was speaking to someone who was seventeen not seven. " I'm fine, I promise. Lunch was crazy though right?"

He hoped that this granule of gossip would be enough to get Ino off his back and thankfully it worked like a charm. Her suspicions immediately fell away as she crossed her arms over her chest, all ire now redirected.

"I'm not surprised in the slightest that Hinata rejected him." Ino said haughtily. "A girl like her doesn't deserve to be asked to prom in such a rude manner. I thought Sasuke of all people knew better than that."

"Why would you think that? He's always been a rude bastard."

Naruto bristled a bit at Ino's strange praise for his best friend. She and Sakura _had_ been in love with him since elementary school. Did she still harbor feelings for him?

"He's not that bad….at least not the way Hinata describes him. She says he's actually really soft so I thought he might ask her in a better way. Besides his family is obscenely rich. He should have brought flowers or written a sky message or something. I'm sure her own family would be shocked to know he didn't do anything."

"Is that how you want to be asked?"

He blurted the question out before he had a chance to take it back and held his breath as he waited for an answer. His family wasn't poor by any means but he definitely couldn't afford the displays of affection seen around the school lately. Not when his allowance had been revoked. If he got an actual job instead of volunteering he might have been able to do something nice but then he wouldn't get to see Ino every day after school.

As the silence dragged on between them, Naruto chanced a glance up from the toy box to watch Ino as she stopped straightening the books on the bookshelf. She pulled the princess crown off of her head and looked at it thoughtfully.

"It's the biggest night of the year but no…I don't. Its super cheesy and lame to do all that extra stuff." She chuckled.

"Then how?"

Ino rolled her eyes and went back to cleaning up her corner of the room.

"Are you trying to mine me for suggestions? If you want help asking Sakura all you had to do was say it straight out." She laughed but it didn't sound genuine.

Had he done something wrong again?

"Ino-"

"Just be romantic and genuine. Sakura likes mushy stuff so go with that." She said hurriedly before rushing to the classroom door. "I forgot that I promised to help my dad in the shop this evening. Do you mind if I leave early?"

Naruto felt his shoulders slump but he nodded anyway. He wasn't trying to ask Sakura…he wanted to ask her. There was no point in clarifying when she already had one foot out the door. Whatever her issue was he'd ask her about it later, preferably after he figured out a way to ask her to prom. As the door closed behind her, Naruto went back to cleaning. If he couldn't figure out what Ino liked from the girl herself he needed the next best thing.

Shikamaru.

He'd known Ino the longest out of their group besides Choji. If anyone knew how to ask Ino out and not get rejected it would be him. Besides, Shikamaru owed him a favor….

 **….**

Walking up and down the aisles of the library was foreign for the blonde. He didn't like coming here unless he had to. In fact, this was the first time he'd entered the eerily quiet building all school year. Yet Shikamaru said that he'd help him after he was finished with his 'date'. Naruto would never consider meeting a girl in the library a date but what did he know? He was the one going to Shikamaru for help. So now all he had to do was wait for Shikamaru to finish…whenever that would be. Huffing from boredom, Naruto wandered down a random aisle until a familiar crop of bright pink hair caught his attention through a gap in the books.

"Sakura?" he mumbled, pushing the books aside to get a better look.

Sure enough, Sakura was in the next aisle and in a similar position as he was. Who was she looking at? He was tempted to shout her name out but part of the reason this was his first time back in the library was because he had been kicked out. Apparently, too many noise complaints could get you banned for a year. He didn't want to get another lecture from his mother either so going against his instinct, Naruto quietly made his way to where Sakura was lurking.

"What are you doing?" he whispered and the pinkette jumped nearly a foot in the air. If it wasn't for her hands covering her mouth the shriek she let out would have drawn attention to both of them.

"What the hell are you doing here Naruto?" she hissed.

"I could ask you the same thing. What are you looking at?"

He moved to look through the gap in the books but Sakura blocked the view with her body.

"I was just looking for a book but it's not here."

"Sakura I'm-"

"Hinata…. not that stupid."

Naruto blinked as his statement was finished by a voice that wasn't his own. Sakura blushed furiously and turned back to her peephole, all attempts at secrecy vanished in favor of continuing with her eavesdropping. He frowned but pushed a few books aside on the shelf above her. Through his own gap, he saw Hinata and Sasuke sitting at one of the many round study tables. While Hinata had a stack of books piled high on her side, Sasuke looked absolutely bored as he leaned back in his chair and scowled.

Were they arguing about Hinata's rejection at lunch? If they were they shouldn't be eavesdropping like this. Sasuke had too much blackmail on him to get caught doing something so underhanded.

"Sakura let's go." He whispered but Sakura only waved him off.

"You don't like dancing." Hinata said softly as she flipped to the next page in her book. "Besides, I thought you didn't 'do' school functions."

"If this has to do with your father-" Sasuke started however Hinata rising suddenly to her feet cut him off.

"I don't need my father's permission for everything Sasuke! If you want to go so badly then ask Karin!"

"Hn."

"I…I've gotta go."

An angrily slung bag over her shoulder, fists clenched, Hinata left Sasuke alone at the study table to sulk.

"He's really stepped in it this time." Naruto whispered. "I don't think I've ever seen Hinata look so angry."

"Poor Sasuke…"

Naruto rolled his eyes. At some point, Sakura was going to have to give up on her crush. He placed a hand on the girl's shoulder and she looked at him as if she just remembered he was there.

"Oh…Naruto you're still here."

"I'm meeting up with Shikamaru soon. Do you wanna join us since the book you're looking for isn't available?"

He hoped that she would pick up on his hint but she merely waved him away.

"Suit yourself." He shrugged and moved out of the row of books. "Hey, Sasuke!"

He glanced back at Sakura who now looked like she would murder him and smiled. He might not be an expert in relationships but whatever was going on with Sasuke and Hinata would pass. Sakura understood that right?

"What are you doing in the library?" Sasuke asked, his usual mask falling over his troubled expression from earlier.

"I like to read books too ya know."

"I didn't realize you knew how to read anything without pictures."

"Hey, I resent that!"

 _ **To be continued….**_


	3. Chapter 3

**CCNote: Happy Birthday to me and to all of the other December babies out there! You know who you are. As always, this story is dedicated to Katarina-Hime. Please enjoy and don't forget to post a REVIEW!**

 **Getting a Ring**

"I just don't get what's gotten into him lately…he loves coming to the school and the kids like him more than me. Why would he just up and quit?"

"Maybe he wants to study."

"Naruto? Study?"

Sakura shook her head in unison with her blonde friend while a shy smile spread over Hinata's lips. They all knew that Naruto was the least likely to study anything from their group. So if he wasn't studying what was up with his odd behavior? Sakura took a small sip from her water bottle, careful not to mess up her lip gloss.

Naruto had been acting strange for a while now. First, he came to the library. Now he was ditching his volunteer work. He wasn't even goofing off with Choji and Kiba as much either. Normally she would find a less obnoxious Uzumaki to be a welcome break but even she had begun to feel unsettled by his behavior. Ino huffed, her side bang flouncing up as she did so.

"Every day I show up without him the kids get more and more disappointed." She whined and laid her forehead on the lunch table. Hinata reached out and gently patted her on the shoulder.

"It will be fine Ino-chan. I'm sure Naruto will come around soon."

"Can't one of you come with me? I'm sure that they'd like to see you both again."

Sakura shivered at the prospect. She wanted nothing to do with those sticky children. She was sure that Hinata would not reject Ino's request for assistance though. The girl was a sucker for charity cases.

"I'm sorry…I have something to do today." Hinata said softly.

Sakura was _positive_ that she wouldn't reject Ino's request until she did. Ino was also surprised because her head immediately popped up from the table. Hinata never ever said no to someone that needed help. It wasn't in her nature. Yet here she was flustered and checking her watch as if she hadn't just grown a third head.

"I'm sorry." Hinata repeated and began to pack her bag to leave from the lunch table. "I've got to get going."

"Where are you going?" Sakura asked

"Yea you haven't touched your lunch at all."

Hinata looked at her untouched tray and blushed.

"I'm-"

"Sorry, we know." Ino finished and waved Hinata away. "You don't have to apologize so much. Just make sure you eat something later okay? Half a granola bar doesn't count."

The Hyuuga smiled and nodded at Ino's abrasive affection. She then hurried out of the lunchroom, her petite form weaved in and out of the crowd faster than they could blink. If Naruto had been acting strangely, Hinata was even odder. She hardly spent time with them despite the fact that they saw each other at school every day. There was no gossip between classes or afterschool study sessions. Today was the first day she'd even had time to pretend to eat lunch.

' _If you want to go so bad then ask Karin.'_

Sakura frowned and took another sip of water. She shouldn't have been eavesdropping on her friends but after Hinata's abrupt rejection it was hard to resist. Whatever her reasoning was to deny Sasuke had to do with her avoiding all of them lately. Maybe they'd broken up. Maybe he would finally start dating Karin. That thought made Sakura's upper lip curl. She could tolerate Hinata being with Sasuke because she was her friend. Karin would become utterly insufferable if she assumed the coveted title of Sasuke's girlfriend.

No…they hadn't broken up. Sure the rumors were becoming louder and numerous with each passing day. Sure the Uchiha's fan club had started reconvening. None of that meant anything. None of that mattered. Still….still…

"Earth to Sakura! Are you in there?"

Sakura blinked and pushed away Ino's waving hand in her face.

"I'm listening to you. You don't have to stick your dirty fingers in my eyes."

"For your information, my fingers aren't _dirty._ " Ino quipped with a roll of her eyes. " _And_ you are so not listening to me."

"Fine. What was the last thing you said?"

Ino blushed and started shyly twirling a long lock of hair around her finger. Her right eye twitched at the sight of her best friend becoming uncharacteristically bashful. Was everyone going to act oddly til graduation?

"Just spit it out Ino."

"Has he…has Naruto asked you to prom yet?" Ino asked and Sakura immediately recoiled

"Why in the world would he ask me that?"

"Well-"

Unobservant of her friend's discomfort, Sakura continued.

"I wouldn't go on a date with Naruto if he was the last available boy in this school. Actually not even if he was the last boy on earth. Ino…Ino where are you going?"

The blonde didn't listen to her calls to return but Sakura didn't mind. She was tired of pretending to care anyway. She had to find out what was going on with Hinata and Sasuke. They were both her friends and she cared about their wellbeing. She wasn't being a jealous harpy. Sakura cringed at the thought and made her way in the direction that Hinata had retreated.

…..

It took quite a bit of asking around and batting her eyelashes but she was able to locate Hinata before the lunch bell rang. She was in the last room Sakura had expected too, the art room. No one in their group had graced the art room with their presence since they finished their general education courses. What was the point of learning how to draw when competitive colleges wanted more fact-based skills?

Speaking of which if she knew anything about Hinata's home life it was that her family prided itself on excelling in everything. When Neji had graduated as valedictorian and went on to the best school in the country it was expected that Hinata would follow in his footsteps. She had big shoes to fill and in order to succeed, she had no business peddling away her time in the art room.

' _Especially not with_ _ **him.'**_ Sakura thought, her upper lip curling at the sight.

It was an innocent sight to be sure however looks could be deceiving. Standing with their backs to her were Hinata and a boy in the school that arguably possessed the plague. Saabaku Gaara had been a self-resigned outcast since the day he and his siblings had transferred to their school. He didn't talk to anyone even though countless had tried. Naruto was the only one the teachers would dare to partner with the creepy student because the blonde was too stupid to be murdered. He was handsome in a dangerous way. He would have had the whole 'bad boy' thing going for him if his personality wasn't as boring as a wet newspaper. Creepy and boring far outweighed his cuteness in her book, which at the moment held Sasuke in the highest regard.

If Hinata was able to date the hottest, smartest, and most interesting guy in school why was she slumming it with this weirdo? She knew that she shouldn't eavesdrop, Hinata was her friend after all but she couldn't help it. As carefully as she could, Sakura turned the doorknob and pushed the door open just a crack.

"I…I don't think it's that great." Hinata mumbled, riffling through something just out of Sakura's view. "It's nothing like your skill."

"Perhaps your eyes are as lacking as you say. You don't see things the way I do."

Sakura covered her mouth to keep from gasping at his statement. Who would have thought that this weirdo had such a way with words? The way he was staring at Hinata was so intense that it even made her own heart pound. Unfortunately, Hinata was too dense to parse out the flirtation that underlined his words or how close he was standing next to her. Maybe she was used to him standing this close. Maybe.. no…

"Gaara. I'm not satisfied."

"You never are. Come back here after school. I think I may have something that will please you."

The tall redhead put a hand on Hinata's shoulder and she smiled up at him in return. Fury blinded Sakura in that moment and faster than a blink she whipped out her phone and snapped a photo of the two. She then quickly scurried around the corner before they were able to see her. Even if they had she didn't care. How could she! How could she cheat on someone like Sasuke?

Her fury mounted as she recalled the look in that weirdo's eyes. Well if that guy satisfied her then so be it! However, she couldn't keep lying to her friends and she most certainly couldn't keep doing this to Sasuke. Without a second thought, she looked down at the oh so cozy picture on her phone and swiped to send it in a message.

It only took less than two minutes for her to get a response.

….

The rest of the school day came and went in a flash. Her own phone had nearly died from how many times she'd checked the first and only message Sasuke had ever sent to her since she put her number in his phone two years ago. Now she found herself pacing back and forth frantically in front of their agreed upon meeting spot, guilt and anger warring fiercely within her.

Fifty percent of high school students break up after graduation. The ones that do make it end up in divorce. Therefore she shouldn't feel bad for sending Sasuke that picture. Their relationship was bound to end one way or another. It wasn't even about the opportunity of a newly single and woefully depressed Sasuke needing comfort. It was about morals and principles and-

"Sakura."

The girl in question jumped, her hip knocking into a nearby water fountain as she did so. She'd been so lost in her own thoughts that she hadn't even heard Sasuke approach. She stared at the dark haired teen and swallowed. He didn't show any emotion. With his hands shoved into his pockets and the top two buttons of his uniform shirt undone, he looked positively bored. Yet…the tenseness of his jaw and the murderous aura that rolled off of him in waves told a different story.

"Oh! Sasuke, hi!" Sakura said, her voice unnaturally high in an attempt to offset the dark atmosphere around them.

It was a futile attempt. There was no way to make the discovery of a partner cheating hurt any less. Sasuke did not appear to appreciate her efforts either.

"Explain." He said curtly.

Sakura gulped. Getting straight to the point was always Sasuke's forte.

"Well, I had just been trying to find Hinata to tell her ..to tell her …to tell her about how weird Naruto is acting!" Sakura said quickly, grasping at straws for a valid reason as to why she'd been peeping in on an otherwise innocent interaction. "You know Ino has been complaining about him a lot lately. I thought that Hinata might have an idea as to why he's been so distant."

Sasuke's lips flattened into a tight line. Rambling was going to get her nowhere.

"Anyway, I found her in the art room but she wasn't alone. Gaara was there and they were looking at something I couldn't see and standing very close together. They looked comfortable together which you know is strange because Gaara doesn't talk to anyone at all and well…"

"Well…"

This was going to hurt him so much. Sakura bit her bottom lip, her nails digging into her palms.

"She said that she isn't satisfied and Gaara told her ' Let's meet after school, I think that I'll have something that will please you-'"

Before she could finish, Sasuke was already stalking down the deserted hallway. Was he…he wasn't going to fight Gaara, was he? Sakura wouldn't put it past him to do just that. Now panicked, Sakura scurried after him in the direction of the art room. It didn't take him long to reach the location of his girlfriend's affairtrist, his long strides proved difficult to keep up with most of the time. His pace only slowed when he was impeded by the need to open the art room door.

Sakura followed behind him, surprised to find the art room bustling with student activity. Of course, it was filled with weird outcasts like Gaara but she didn't realize how many of them had existed at this school till now. They all stopped what they were doing as soon as the door was unceremoniously yanked open. Sakura held her head high as she passed them, unwilling to outward show how uncomfortable their inquiring stares were. She was so focused on not looking stressed that she bumped into Sasuke's back when he abruptly stopped.

"Sasuke-" a small voice gasped just beyond the Uchiha's broad body.

Sakura peeked around him to see Hinata standing with a heavy looking cardboard box, her mouth slightly agape at the sight of them.

"Sakura? What…what are you two doing here?"

"I think that's the last of it. Kurenai should be back soon." Gaara called out as he entered the room from the supply closet. Green eyes narrowed at the sight of Sasuke and came up to stand behind him, a pale hand resting on her shoulder. "Is there a problem."

"No," Sasuke said flatly. "Not if she's 'satisfied'."

His words were cold and sucked all of the air out of the room. He then reached into his rumpled uniform top and pulled out a thin silver chain, clutching whatever hung on the end in his fist. With a firm tug, the chain snapped from around his neck. He then placed the necklace on top of the box Hinata held and left it. When he turned on his heel, Sakura watched him go. Any thoughts she might have had, any words, they all died with his retreating back.

Sakura had expected him to yell. She expected some kind of scuffle or argument to happen between the two alpha males. Yet…all that transpired was silence and that was worse than anything anyone could have said. As though finally getting over her own shock, Hinata dropped the box she was holding.

"Sasuke." She whispered, the pain in her voice palpable as she took a tentative and useless step forward. "Sasuke wait!"

Everyone in the room was taken aback by the rise in the volume of the normally soft-spoken girl. Still, Sasuke did not wait. He did not turn around. Instead, he kept his stride and left the room, the door slamming behind him. His lack of acknowledgment did not deter Hinata who now looked like she might start crying.

"Hinata-" Gaara started but the Hyuuga waved him off and ran out of the room.

A faint shouting for the Uchiha could be heard down the hall after she made her exit but they all knew he wouldn't listen. With the departure of the school's most enviable (and now broken up) couple, activity in the art room resumed although with a notable depletion of vigor. Sakura stood awkwardly in the middle of it all, guilt finally consuming her previous rage and leaving her aimless. She looked down at the box that Hinata had been holding and there on top was the necklace that Sasuke had abandoned. At the end of it was a simple silver ring. The sight of it…it's importance… made her breath catch in her throat.

"What are you still doing here?" Gaara growled, snapping Sakura out of her stupor. "This room is reserved for art members only."

"Don't get so snippy with me! I'm not the one who's been two-timing!" Sakura snapped, her hands balling into fists.

She did not need this weirdos attitude right now! He stared back at her with narrowed eyes and took a step forward. Sakura stood her ground and glared right back at him. She was not going to be intimidated by the likes of him.

"What are you talking about."

His question came out like a demand and the coldness of his voice sent a shiver down her spine.

"I saw you and Hinata in here earlier."

"So you were spying?"

"I wasn't spying! I was just trying to tell her something important!"

"Something so important that you didn't announce your presence and told her boyfriend what you saw?"

Sakura sputtered and scoffed at his accusations. Sure that was exactly what happened but when he put it like that it made it sound bad. The guilt she felt from earlier continued to gnaw in her chest but she pushed it down.

"You two looked pretty cozy. There is obviously something going on between you. I don't know what backward school you came from but here, cheating is frowned upon."

"Wait. What? Cheating?" Gaara repeated with a dumbfounded look on his face. All around the room the strange art members started chattering again, no longer pretending to do any work. "You…thought that Hinata was _cheating_ with me?"

Sakura opened her mouth to retort but the redhead frowned and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Whatever convoluted rationalization you're going to spill out now, save it."

What was he talking about? She's seen them together. He'd told Hinata that he could satisfy her! Gaara smirked at her confusion before stooping down picking up the necklace Sasuke had abandoned.

"I'm gay." He said as if declaring that it was, in fact, sunny outside. "And you're the bitch that has likely killed our Star's muse. Congratulations."


	4. Chapter 4

**CCNote: I meant to update this earlier, but life caught up to me. As always this is dedicated to Katarina-hime. Please enjoy!**

 **Get your Kiss**

There were very few things that Shino felt he did not understand.

He understood the life cycle of bees and the metamorphosis of a butterfly. He knew the politics that governed everything from the tiniest ant colony to the most fractious human government. He knew a great many things but one thing he'd never be able to understand was…love.

The silent teen watched from the café window, torn between investigating the argument outside or keeping to his seat. Despite the protective instinct he had towards Hinata he knew better than to interfere in a lover's quarrel. This one, in particular, was the most subdued he'd ever seen.

Sasuke didn't yell.

Hinata didn't cry.

They just stood in the rain.

It was strange. Even if knew more about the affections between men and women he would never have been able to help those two. Pensively he brought his coffee to his lips and the rain picked up. The bell over the coffee shop door jingled.

Outside Hinata took something from her pocket and held it out for Sasuke.

He refused to remove his hands from his pockets.

"Sorry. Is there anyone sitting here?"

Shino blinked and tore his eyes away from his childhood friend and her boyfriend outside. Standing before him was a girl soaked to the bone with wide brown eyes. Her short brown hair laid flat against her head and the simple grey and white uniform that she wore was unfamiliar to this part of town.

"This seat _is_ free right?" she said, a slight tone of desperation in her voice as she spoke.

She didn't wait for him to answer either. Instead, she promptly sat down with a wet plop and quickly pushed her bookbag under the table so that it was out of the walkway.

"Whew its pretty crowded in here. I don't think he'll find me." The girl mumbled under her breath. She then smiled at him and pushed some of her wet hair off of her cheek. "Hey, thanks for letting me sit here…what's your name?"

Shino opened his mouth to answer but the girl was already distracted by something in the window. A boy that wore the same school uniform she did looked into the coffee shop window, his face pressed hard against the glass.

"Dammit!" the girl hissed. She then turned back to Shino and smiled pitifully. "Can you be my boyfriend?"

Shino balked and put down his cup of coffee.

"Please just for two seconds. That guy has been stalking me for weeks!"

"I-"

Shino had meant to reject her again. He had no desire to get wrapped up in the affairs of others. However, his new companion had other ideas. She stood up from her chair leaned over the table and kissed him squarely on the lips. Outside there was a muffled yell from the student pressing his face against the glass. When the girl broke away from the kiss, the boy stormed off down the street. Once his figure was out of sight, the girl sighed and laid her head on the table.

"I don't think he'll ever give up." She said although her voice was slightly muffled by the table. "Thanks again for your help."

She peeked up at him from the table, her brown eyes showing signs of relief then recognition. Her head popped back up quickly and she waved a hand over his appearance.

"Hey, you go to that fancy rich kid school around the corner don't you? I'd know that uniform anywhere!"

Shino nodded blankly, still in shock from being kissed by a random stranger. Not only that, this stolen kiss just so happened to be his first. Her smile widened even further with his confirmation.

"This is great! You wouldn't happen to know Hyuuga Hinata, would you? I know it's a silly thing to ask. She beat me out in the last round and I just have to know her technique. I've never seen anything like that in the competition before."

"Competition?" Shino said.

Hinata had never said anything to anyone about a competition. She was the least confrontational person in their friend circle. The girl in front of him nodded her head vigorously before pulling out her cellphone and quickly flipped through it.

"Yea, Geijutsu-kan just held the semi-finals last weekend." She then handed him her phone.

There on the screen was Hinata standing next to a large canvas. The portrait was dappled in an almost impressionist way. A dark-haired man rested with his head in his arms, one of which obscured his eyes, and a pencil between his fingers. Since the face was obscured the identity of the man was unknown to the casual observer but Shino knew.

Who would have thought that such a sullen man could have provided the inspiration for something so beautiful?

"You want to speak with Hinata?" Shino asked distractedly as he tried to commit the photo to memory.

He'd never seen Hinata look so proud in his life.

' _Hinata!'_

The reminder of his friend snapped his mind back to the present and his eyes automatically looked back to the shop front window. Unfortunately, Sasuke and Hinata had disappeared. The only thing that remained the same was the rain that continued on its torrential pour.

"So you _do_ know her? It's my lucky day then. She was by and far the winner for our level. Next month is the final round so I guess she'll be busy right now. I just need to ask how she got this effect out of her oils. I had hoped to come before the rain set in but that guy would not leave me alone. Now your school is locked to visitors but I guess you already knew that."

Shino gave the girl back her phone and she accepted it with a small smile. This girl certainly liked to talk. The only person he knew more talkative than her was Kiba.

"Thanks again for your help back there."

"If you do not wish for someone to pursue you romantically, you should say it." Shino said bluntly and the girl frowned.

"I have! He still keeps trying even after I told him that I have a boyfriend but he doesn't believe me!"

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

"No. I just told him that because I didn't want to hurt his feelings."

"Lying to someone to save their feelings is still wrong." Shino said flatly.

He didn't need to have his heart broken to know how that guy probably felt seeing the girl he liked kissing another in a coffee shop. Shino watched as his companion bit her bottom lip and averted her gaze.

"You're right." She said softly before standing. "I have to fix this."

Shino expected her to leave just as quickly as she came but instead she opened her book bag and pulled out a sparkly yellow notebook and matching pen. She then quickly scrawled something on the paper and ripped the page out of the book.

"Here, this is my number. I lost in the last round but there is still time to apply for other smaller schools. Please give Hinata my number, any tips she has might help me win."

The teen looked down at the proffered paper and felt a strange heat settle into the pit of his stomach. She'd drawn a heart around her name.

"I don't think I ever got your name?" she said as she slung her bag over her shoulder.

"Sh-"

"Oh shit, I'm going to miss my bus! Save my number! Bye!"

She left with a frantic wave and a smile but her presence still hung at the table long after she was gone. Long after his coffee had gone cold. Shino looked down at the paper she gave him and stared at the messily drawn heart that contained her name.

Kei.

What a strange girl.

 **…..**

Ino sighed as she sat at an empty lunch table without any food as per usual. Normally she'd walk with Sakura to the lunch room but the pinkette did not show up to school. She didn't even have the decency to send her best friend a text so that she could skip too. Ino snorted and her bangs flew up slightly. She didn't need Sakura to keep her company. The other would be arriving soon. As soon as that thought crossed her mind Kiba entered the lunchroom with Shino at his side. The two made a beeline for the table she sat.

"Yo!" Kiba greeted as he sank heavily into his seat and Shino distractedly followed suit. The normally silent teen had his eyes glued to his phone though he didn't appear to be scrolling through anything.

"What's up with him?" Ino asked and Kiba smirked.

"He's waiting ten minutes."

"Huh?"

"You have to wait ten minutes before you respond to a girl's text. That's the rule."

Ino narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms.

"No it's not. Who taught you that?"

Shino looked up from his phone and frowned at his seemingly knowledgeable friend.

"Don't look at me like that. She doesn't know what she's talking about."

Without warning, Shino stood up and retreated from the lunch table with his thumbs already furiously typing. Kiba rose as well and glared at her.

"Nice going Ino, he has no idea how to talk to girls."

"And neither do you." Ino retorted with a roll of her eyes.

Unfortunately, Kiba did not stick around to quibble with her. Instead, he followed Shino out of the lunchroom to likely provide him with even more shitty advice. Where Kiba got the idea that there was a 'waiting period' for texting Ino had no clue.

"Boys are stupid." She mumbled under her breath.

Boys _were_ stupid. Especially loud blonde ones that liked to avoid you like the plague. Sighing, Ino looked down at her phone which still held no new messages for her. Yet another heavy sigh escaped her lips. She'd sent Naruto a text earlier asking if he was interested in trying out a new café that afternoon but he'd yet to respond. Would it look desperate if she texted him again?

Yes. Yes, it would.

So she put away her phone and waited for more of her friends to arrive. It was sad to sit at a lunch table alone. Just as she debated checking her phone again, Sasuke approached the table but he didn't sit down. Ino stared at him, her mouth slightly agape. It was rare to see the Uchiha alone.

"Where is Naruto?" he asked and Ino frowned.

"Well hello to you too." She huffed. "I have no idea where he is. He was in class but he ran out as soon as the bell rang."

The last syllable wasn't even out of her mouth before he turned on his heel and walked away. Ino glared at his back.

"Jerk. I can't believe I used to have a crush on him."

She'd been such a stupid girl back then fighting over him with Sakura. She had no idea how Hinata could even stand him most days. Sighing, she looked down at her phone. No new messages.

"Ugh, boys are so stupid!"

 _ **To be continued….**_


	5. Not My Problem

**CCNote:** **Happy Monday ya'll! Sorry this took so long. I'll try to get back to updating regularly. In the meantime go check out For the Love of You. As always this story is dedicated to Katarina-hime who I appreciate checking on me in a time of need. Please enjoy and don't forget to leave a REVIEW!**

 **Not My Problem**

There was not much that occurred in Hyuuga Hiashi's life that was unexpected.

He awoke before the sun rose in the morning and went to bed well after it set. He knew the moment that he turned ten that he would lead his family's company with his twin brother Hizashi. Together they would bring the Hyuuga corporation into a new era on a global stage. He knew the moment he set eyes on Hikari that he would marry her. He knew the second he heard the first cries of his daughters that those were sounds he never wanted to hear again.

However...for everything Hiashi knew and planned for and prepped...there was very little in his life that he could control.

He couldn't control his twin brother and his sister-in-law dying in a plane crash and leaving their only son in his care. He couldn't control the complications to Hikari's health after the birth of their second child. He couldn't control the near-crippling depression he suffered in the days that followed nor the pain that would resurface whenever he looked into his children's eyes.

Life was...unpredictable.

So he accepted that fact, picked up the pieces, and focused on what little he could do to move forward. His company was a thriving success in recent years, ready to be passed down to his children when the right time came. Speaking of children...

Hiashi looked up from his half-eaten plate to glare at the three empty spots at his dinner table. If there was one thing he'd discovered he couldn't control it was his children. No matter how much he wished to protect them from the dangers of this world, they all seemed quite content to continue head first into it.

The seat directly in front of him was usually occupied by his nephew. Neji was a prodigy in every sense of the world. He excelled in everything he attempted and was doing well his first year of university though he always made time to visit at least once a month. Tonight was supposed to be one of those nights but the boy apparently had other plans. More specifically a date.

 _'I apologize for the short notice uncle. Tell Hinata and Hanabi that I'll bring something special for them next time.'_

Oh, Neji didn't say _specifically_ that he had a date. He didn't have to. For as long as Hiashi had raised the boy he knew him better than he knew himself at times. He only had two interests: school and family. Family and school. Nothing ever competed with those two spheres of his life but perhaps at nearly twenty years old, it was about that time. Yes, twenty was a decent age to begin pursuing the opposite sex unlike eighteen.

Hiashi frowned as his eyes shifted from Neji's seat to his right where his eldest was supposed to be. Hinata had no excuse not to be home right now with her nose in her books. Sure it was coming close to the end of the year and all of major tests had been passed with flying colors but she should still be studying. She would be studying if she hadn't gotten mixed up with that detestable, deplorable, delinquent Uchiha brat.

He grumbled at the thought of the boy's arrogant smirk and coal black eyes that were always up to no good. He'd been at this table as well in an effort to make peace between them but it was a futile effort. He would never ever approve of that boy but...he couldn't control the fact that he made Hinata happy. So he swallowed his pride and allowed the relationship to continue against his better judgment.

Hopefully, it was just a phase and they would grow apart when they went off to college as most young couples tended to do. He would be there to comfort her and pick up the pieces. Then she would be right back to being his little girl again. He just had to wait for this whole Uchiha thing to run its course. In regards to running, Hiashi's eyes finally fell to the third chair where his youngest was to sit.

Hanabi was a most troublesome child through no fault of his own. He'd given the girl everything she could have asked for but she was much more content to play in the dirt. Perhaps if she'd had a more feminine influence in her life she wouldn't feel the need to act out the way she did. He'd toyed around with the idea of marrying again to give the children the kind of motherly affection they all needed but the mere thought sickened him. No one would ever replace Hikari.

Hiashi sighed and pushed around the food on his plate. His dinner had been painstakingly slaved over by their chef. The best steak that money could buy, grilled to perfection with roasted vegetables on the side. Yet he could do little more than pushed the cut uppieces from one end of the immaculate white plate to the other. Hikari used to make much less elaborate meals when she'd been alive but they were so much better.

He longed for the nights when it was just the two of them and plate of onigiri in his college dorm. Or when they'd married and onigiri changed to roasted chicken and more side dishes than he could ever consume. His stomach growled hungrily at the memory.Pushing his plate away in defeat, Hiashi then reached for his glass of whiskey and took a sip. At least this was a taste that would never change. However he did not have long to relish his drink before the sound of the front door shutting harshly echoed into the dining room.

He waited, knowing that whoever had entered the house would have to pass him, and took another sip. Sure enough, a soaked figure marched into the dining room doorway and would have passed him completely if he hadn't cleared his throat. His eldest daughter jumped at the sound and nearly slipped in her wet socks on the hardwood floor.

"Fa-fa-father! I didn't know you were home." she stammered, a red blush of embarrassment spreading over her cheeks.

Hinata had always blushed for many reasons. Whether she was embarrassed or excited, her natural reaction was always to become flushed. Yet her face looked different. Her cheeks were more ruddy as if she'd been out in the cold for too long. Her hair was stuck to her face and neck in thick ropes which dripped rainwater onto his freshly polished floor. The most alarming thing, however, was how red-rimmed her eyes were. It was impossible for a Hyuuga to hide the evidence of their tears and the knowledge that his daughter had been crying disturbed him greatly.

"Hinata." Hiashi started but his eldest began to tremble.

"I...I'm sorry. I need to...to change."

She was wet. She was cold. She probably did need to change but that was not the reason why she ran away like a bat out of hell. When she thought he was out of earshot, right at the top of the stairs, her resolve cracked and a small whimper could be heard through the large mansion. Hiashi stood in the dining room doorway and waited for more to come but it didn't. Instead, her bedroom door was closed softly and the mansion became silent once more.

Hiashi wasn't a betting man but he was positive that his daughter's tears had to do with that damn Uchiha boy. He was torn between what to do about it though. He was not good at comforting anyone. He couldn't even help himself on days when he was at his lowest. Instead, he threw himself further into his work which he was sure his late wife would have found to be an unhealthy way of coping. His only other option was to string the boy up by his toes which he was more than happy to do.

He would have acted on the thought however the front door was slammed open again to reveal yet another wet child. Hanabi stormed into the house wearing her soccer uniform and considerably more muddy than her sister had been. She tracked filth from the front door to the stairs. Their housekeeper was going to have a fit when she saw it in the morning.

"Hanabi." Hiashi said and the girl paused in her climb up the stairs. "Dinner is ready."

The girl blinked and turned around. She did have a nearly bottomless pit of a stomach and could be won over by sweets most days. Unfortunately she paused and narrowed her eyes.

"Is there any meat?" she asked suspiciously.

"Steak."

The word was barely out of his mouth before she wrinkled her nose and continued her climb up the steps.

"I'm a vegan."

Right. Vegan. Just like Hinata's 'Uchiha phase' he'd hoped that Hanabi would outgrow this 'veganism'. The girl marched up the stairs just like her sister but this time her door slammed shut with a bang. Hiashi sighed and looked back at the front door. Maybe Neji would come bursting through as well but alas he knew that to be a pipe dream. With a grunt, he walked away from the front of the house to the back where he could find refuge in his study. There was nothing very pressing to do for the company at the moment but he was never bereft of paperwork.

Once inside of the safety of his study, Hiashi sank down into his chair with a slow breath. Today had been a long day and tomorrow would be more of the same. He raised his glass to his lips and frowned at the fact that it was empty. He should have brought the bottle with him. For a moment he contemplated the pros and cons of returning to the dining room when his phone rang. Hiashi growled. No one from his company would have dared to disturb him this late in the evening. Without looking at the caller id, Hiashi picked up the desk phone and lifted it to his ear.

"Hyuuga." a gruff voice growled through the receiver.

The Hyuuga blinked as he was unable to recognize the person on the other end of the line. He glanced at the caller id and his heart nearly skipped a beat. Uchiha Fugaku's number blinked up at him, taunting him into having a stroke. He was getting too old for surprise phone calls.

"Hello?" Fugaku asked again and Hiashi cleared his throat.

"Yes."

"Where is Hinata?"

The Hyuuga frowned at the phone and leaned back in his chair.

"And why is that any concern of yours Uchiha?"

"Sasuke has yet to return home." Fugaku replied through clenched teeth.

Hiashi almost felt pity for the man but it was likely his son's fault that Hinata was in tears. Whatever sympathy he might have offered his rival was dead in light of that fact.

"I know where all of my children are Uchiha. Yours are your own problem."

With that, he hung up the phone and smirked to himself. Soon he would not have to worry about the Uchiha and their ill-begotten son much longer. Hinata would be leaving to attend his alma mater with Neji soon after she graduated. It was best that she got a head start before her classmates by beginning in the summer instead of waiting til the fall. It would give her more time to become accustomed to college life and set her apart from the riffraff.

He'd already spoken to several of her future professors, all old acquaintances of his, to ensure the smooth transition. All that was left was to pay for her tuition when the invoice was sent which would be any day now. He might not be able to control everything in his children's lives but he could at the very least set them up for success. In the meantime, he grimaced at his empty glass and stood up.

He needed another drink.

 _ **To be continued...**_


End file.
